Systems for creating computer graphics are well known. Many computer graphics systems provide tools within a computer program that allow a user to draw and edit a variety of shapes. However, conventional systems only enable a user to draw and edit a limited number of shapes. If additional shapes are desired, the computer program in the system must be modified to include the additional tools needed to draw and edit the desired shape. Adding new tools to the computer program each time a new shape is desired is a lengthy and costly process. Furthermore, once a computer program is released, it becomes difficult to update the program with additional shapes.
In an effort to overcome these disadvantages, one computer graphics system incorporates a limited component plug-in capability utilizing tables. When a particular shape is desired, the system accesses a table of data files. The data files contain information describing a shape. The shape is then created and edited with tools within the computer program. Such a system is limited to editing and creating shapes in ways permitted by the tools within the computer program. Thus, although shapes may be added after release of the computer program, the shapes that may be added are limited to shapes that the internal tools in the computer program know how to create and edit.